From the Bachata and merengue to hip hop and tap dance, a variety of dances were included in this year’s dance show, Inspire. Featuring South dance groups Orchesis, Poms, Dela Cru, and Latino Heat, each group had their fair share of hard work when it came to preparing for the dance show.
Each dance group was hard at work to perfect the routines that they planned to perform at South’s annual dance show on December 13. Dedicating several hours a day to improve their dances, each group works their acts for the show.
According to Bonnie Lasky, Orchesis and dance show director, hard work from the dancers has gone into the show already. Responsible for coordinating with Poms, Dela Cru, and Latino Heat, as well as choreographing the dances that Orchesis performs, Lasky believes that the preparation serves as a learning experience as well.
“I think [the dancers] are learning in the process,” Lasky said. “Some of these girls are dancing dances that they’ve never done before. I have a girl who does ballet but she’s doing hip hop for the first time. So it’s a learning experience, too.”
Senior Bridget Nelson, one of the captains for Orchesis, also notices the amount of work that goes along with the dance show.
“Definitely a lot of work [has gone in so far],” Nelson said. “We are rehearsing every Monday and Wednesday for two hours, and now Tuesdays have started, so Tuesdays for two hours, and now some Saturdays and Sundays for multiple hours, depending on when you have rehearsal and what dance you’re in.”
According to Trisha Moulakelis, the director of Dela Cru, several hours went into preparation for Dela Cru as well. Once choreography was done and rehearsed, the week before the show is dedicated to dealing with technology and lighting, as well as dress rehearsals and on-stage run-throughs.
“It’s been a lot of work, a lot of extra time,” Moulakelis said.
However, according to junior Anna Hofmockel, a dancer in Dela Cru, the team does better when faced with an impending deadline to learn dances.
“I think, as a team, we have really come together to get stuff done really quickly,” Hofmockel said. “Between fall sports and our pep rally, we had sixteen days [to learn routines], but we managed to pull it off [and perform well]. It just helps us all get better as dancers when we’re in a bit of a crunch.”
As most people would feel apprehensive before a nearing performance, junior Vanessa Aguayo, a dancer in Latino Heat, said that she looks forward to dancing in the show.
“Performing is probably my favorite part,” Aguayo said. “You get to show off all your hard work and months you put into the dance, all the practices and everything. It’s finally appreciated […] and I think that’s the most important part of [dancing], getting acknowledged for what you do.”
With all of the practice and preparation that has gone into their performance, Brian Shaoul, the director of Latino Heat, said that the team is as prepared as they will ever be for the dance show.
“There’s a big difference from the beginning when we first started these dances to now,” Shaoul said. “It’s tremendous.”
According to Poms captain, Gabbi Oppenheimer, the Poms are grateful for another opportunity to perform. As a result, the team holds a very high standard for themselves with regard to the quality of the routine presented in the dance show.
With this standard in mind, Poms coach Julie Smith aspires that the team will give a great performance in the show, since, as Smith said, the routine is also performed at competition as well.
“I just hope they do a nice job highlighting our technical dance abilities and performing well for the [audience],” Smith said.
Taking into account all of the after school rehearsals, numerous run-throughs, and many repetitive practices, Lasky already predicts success prior to the dance show.
“It always comes together in the end,” Lasky said. “And with the girls’ hard work, [the dance show] will be wonderful.”
